[_Folds up his music, putting the scattered sheets in a neat pile, arranges his hair and tie, then clasps his hands over his stomach._] Gladys, we must separate. GLADYS. Good Lord! HUGH. I don’t want to spoil your career. I’m going home to Annabelle. GLADYS. [_Making a panther spring._] Never! You’re mine! HUGH. [_Disengaging her hands._] I see that I’ve done you a great wrong. I always intended to do the right thing by your Art, and I am going to do it now. [_A puzzled, frightened look comes into his face as he speaks._] GLADYS. [_Clinging to him._] Hughie, you’re crazy. I don’t want you to go home to Annabelle. I never supposed you’d go off half-cock like this. I don’t want you to go. I just want you to—to stop talking about food while I’m studying my parts. It’s a beautiful play, Hugh. I die in the last act and I say such lovely things! You’ve no idea what lovely things, and then you interrupt me talking about supper when there’s plenty of chocolate-cake right there! If you’d just be a little more romantic, Hugh. Don’t you see what I mean? [_HUGH looks still more frightened and puzzled. He clutches his forehead._] HUGH. [_Gathering himself together._] Now, Gladys, listen. Let us have a clear understanding. You know I’d do anything in the world for you, but if I stopped playing the piano while you learned your parts, and while you slept, which is all morning long, why, there’d never be any time to play at all. Do be reasonable. Don’t you see what I mean? [_At his own last words the frightened look comes into his face again._] GLADYS. [_Who has stalked up stage and folded her arms while he has been speaking._] Yes, I do see, and what I see is that you have no imagination. You had better go home to Annabelle. We are not mates. Good-bye. [_HUGH makes a wild clutch at his head with both hands and flees, presumably to ANNABELLE. GLADYS stands with her mouth open as the curtain falls._] CURTAIN. FOOTNOTES [1] After Wm. McGinn. [2] The play, “Diritti dell Anima,” translated by Edith and Allan Updegraff under the title “Sacred Ground,” is published by Mitchell Kennerley, New York, in the Modern Drama series. Application to Edwin Bjorkman through the publishers should be made for permission to give a dramatic presentation. [3] From _The Century_, March, 1914.